Stand in the Rain
by fyd818
Summary: Twelve years after the Atlantis Expedition failed, a rebellion forms to fight those who took it away and save the Pegasus galaxy from its imminent fall. RononTeyla, some Shweir and McKeller. .:On Hiatus:.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own _Stargate: Atlantis_, and I don't claim to. If I did, Ronon and Teyla would be happily married with half-a-dozen kids and a dog. I am making no monetary gain from this fic, I am merely writing and posting it for entertainment purposes.

Summary: Twelve years after the Atlantis Expedition failed, a rebellion forms to fight those who took it away and save the Pegasus galaxy from its imminent fall. RononTeyla, some Shweir and McKeller.

Rating: T

Warnings: Violence, sequences of torture, minor character death

Pairings: Ronon/Teyla, Sheppard/Weir, McKay/Keller, OC/OC

Spoilers: Seeing as this is only semi-canon, I would say a familiarity with seasons 1-3 will get you through.

Title: _Stand in the Rain_

Author: fyd818

**Author's Note**: This story has been slowly building over the course of two to two-and-a-half years. While my original idea has had some major renovations, and a few key characters' parts have been altered, the story is essentially the same one I thought up so long ago. It is a story of hope in the face of failure; romance both old and new; and the underlying passion and drive that is the essence of the Atlantis Expedition of old. The familiar crew we've come to know and love over the years will play major parts in this story, but there are a few newcomers, too. I very much hope you enjoy this story, and thanks for taking the time to check it out!

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Stand in the Rain

_fyd818_

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-Prologue-

Post-Atlantis (PA) Year 12

Rain wept relentlessly from an iron grey, foreboding sky. Flickers of lightening lit the muddy path beneath a single caped figure's booted feet, guiding her steps through the darkness. She was the only one fool enough to be out in the storm, especially at that hour of the night when the smart ones fled indoors. Everything was different now.

In fact, Michaela Charin Dex could hardly remember a time when things were normal. Her memories of a beautiful place with stained-glass windows and soaring splendor had long faded, leaving her to face the cruel reality of life as it was now. Life after the darkness had descended upon her childhood home, ripping families and friends apart like the demons of the night they were.

Mika didn't understand it then. As a three-year-old, all she knew was terror, and her father's strong arms as they fled their home. Now, fifteen and an adult, she understood everything. She could fight now. She could be a part of the Rebellion, and she could help her family take back what was rightfully theirs.

Cold and wet to the bone, Mika pulled her long, rough, brown Athosian cloak a little tighter around her. Ducking her head further under the hood minimized the sting of raindrops in her eyes, but not by much. She had to be almost there.

Her muddied boots left prints on the steps of the saloon as she ascended them. Once under the protection of the porch, she tossed back her hood. Damp curls of her dark hair fell around her face as she tossed open the door and stepped inside.

Everything went silent as twelve pairs of eyes turned to look at her. Mika met each of their gazes in turn, saving the barkeeper for last. His mouth was open, half-uttering a warning for her to get out. She was only fifteen, too young to enter such establishments. But something in her eyes and expression must have scared him, for he was the first to turn away.

The other patrons eased their blatant watchfulness, as well. Mika could still feel their eyes upon her, however, as she hopped up on a barstool and calmly crossed her legs. She would wait until the target arrived.

"Name's Solen," the bartender grunted as he slapped a glass on the wood surface before her. "Holler if you need anything."

"Thank you." Mika placed a coin on the counter, then smoothly picked up her glass and sipped. The ale was strong, but not as potent as the kind her mother's people made. She could easily drink the stuff all night, if need be, and not feel its effects.

The stale scent of smoke hung in the air, and Michaela batted curls of it out of her face. She casually turned, eyeing the other people – all men – in the bar. Some of them looked back, taking in her stance, her clothes, and the handle of the knife protruding from beneath her cloak. That seemed to be enough to turn them back to their conversations. She saw none of the right height and build to be the person who had quietly whispered the request to meet her there, on the secluded world of no interest to either side of the fight: Rebellion, or New Atlantis.

Turning back to the bar, she caught Solen staring at her. "Something wrong, barkeep?" she asked. Picking up her glass with her right hand, she slipped her left down to the knife in her belt. Years of diligent practice had made her good with a knife in both hands.

"You look familiar," he said. "Like someone I knew a long time ago."

Mika shook her hair out of her face. "Your face brings no immediate recognition to mind," she replied. "I'm afraid you must be thinking of someone else."

Solen shook his head. "No, no, I can't be," he said. "It's your eyes. I know those eyes."

_Blast._ Mika couldn't look away now, not without making the man suspicious. Her mother had always said she'd inherited her father's eyes, spirit, and stubbornness. Any or all of them would get her in trouble one day, she said. Apparently Teyla Dex hadn't been exaggerating. "I know a lot of people with my color eyes," she said flippantly. Granted, she knew only one: her father. She'd never known her father's mother, who had the same color, and her brother had inherited Teyla's dark brown eyes.

"What's your name?" Solen demanded.

"Michaela Charin." Certainly not an uncommon name. It had been her grandmothers' before her. She was careful to omit her last name. In certain circles, it would draw more attention than she wanted. More attention than she already had, at least.

The barkeep leaned forward, eyes glittering. "What's your father's name, child?"

She was saved by a hand grasping her shoulder and spinning her around on the stool. Halfway through the turn, she had her knife out and up, so when the turn was completed, the blade was against the man's jugular.

Mika, in the midst of trying to disentangle herself from the mess her father had gotten her in – unintentionally, of course – hadn't heard the newcomer enter. She stared into hazel eyes ringed by long dark lashes, the pale face made whiter by the dark hair atop it. He couldn't be older than fifteen or sixteen, and he was dressed similar to her. Like a peasant, like a member of the Rebellion. He was the right height and build of the man who had requested a meeting in this dangerous place.

A hand swiftly snatched the knife from her grip. "Thank you, bartender, for keeping my betrothed occupied until I could find her," he said. "She has a habit of running away."

Solen eyed them both suspiciously. "Betrothed?"

The newcomer pulled her off the stool, at the same time surreptitiously reaching under her cloak to replace her knife in its sheath. "Yes. Apparently she doesn't find me a worthy future husband." He leered at her, showing a row of perfectly straight white teeth. "Come on, girl. I'm taking you home – and this time you'd better stay there." Hand still gripping her arm, he pulled her out of the saloon, into the cold and rain.

"What were you _thinking_?" He hissed at her the moment they were outside. "Are you crazy, drawing attention like that?"

Mika calmly snatched her arm from his grip and pulled her hood over her head. "Who are you to barge in and yell at me like my master?" she demanded. "As far as I know, you're a meddling tramp whom I should smack so hard your head spins on your shoulders."

A grudging smile turned up the corner of his lips. "Dad wasn't kidding," he said. "You _are_ your parents' child."

"I wish I had the pleasure of knowing _your_ parents as well as you seem to know mine," she snapped. "I'd tell them they need to keep a better eye on their misbehaving son. I was perfectly capable of handling myself in there."

"Sure you were. Just 'cause you're a girl doesn't mean you can't handle yourself in a good fight." He pulled his own hood up, at the same time pivoting on his heel to walk down the steps. "Coming?"

Growling under her breath, Mika reluctantly followed. He _was_ headed for the Stargate, after all. "Who are you?"

"You can call me JJ. You?"

"Mika." She pulled the front of her cloak closed again, mostly to hide her hand on the handle of her knife. "Why'd you call this crazy meeting, anyway?"

JJ grinned at her. "Because your parents are leading the Rebellion against New Atlantis. Because they're legends, two of the most famous warriors in this galaxy. Because my parents and yours are old friends. Because the Rebellion is the Pegasus galaxy's last hope. Take your pick."

Mika shivered. "So you know my parents?"

"I don't remember them much. To be honest, your father used to scare me. I called him Uncle Ronon, once upon a time, but as a four-year-old, he seemed awful tall and awful scary with that hair. I liked your mother, Teyla, though. She would always bring me Athosian candy."

Mika scowled. She loved her father's hair, he was the only person she knew who had such a style. It was unique, a part of him. "Okay, so you know my parents. That doesn't prove anything."

JJ stopped, catching her shoulders to pull her to a halt next to him. "Perhaps you'll remember my parents, Michaela Charin Dex. I'm John Jared Sheppard, son of John Sheppard and Elizabeth Weir. Ring a bell?"

She stared at him, suddenly seeing her childhood friend in his eyes, the shape of his mouth, jaw, and nose, and his hair. "Jay?"

He grinned. "Hey, Mimi. How've ya been?"

_-To Be Continued-_


	2. Requests

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 2/?

**-Chapter 1-**

_Requests_

After her initial shock wore off, Mika pulled back her fist and punched JJ in the nose as hard as she could. He tumbled to his rear in the mud, hand clasping the injured appendage. "Hey!" he protested. "What was that for?"

Mika grabbed him by his lapels and dragged him to his feet so she could hug him tightly. "For – for – being so enigmatic and stupid and wonderful and _here_!" she exclaimed.

"Okay. Y'know, Mimi, you've got a _weird_ way of showing your gratitude." Pulling away, JJ gingerly touched his nose and winced.

"Stop calling me Mimi. We're adults now." Mika turned and hurried toward the Stargate, anxious to show her parents who she'd discovered.

JJ followed. "Okay," he said agreeably. "But it's going to be hard, you know. For all these years, I remembered you as the little girl I knew on Atlantis. Seeing you now – all grown up. . ." He shook his head.

"Look at you. You're sixteen now, right?" Mika quickly checked the immediate area to make sure no one was around to see her dial. It was an unfortunate precaution they all had to take.

"Yeah. And you're. . ." JJ squinted at her. "You're sixteen, too. Aren't you?"

Mika's lips curled up in a reluctant smile. "Not yet," she sighed. "Still fifteen. For another two months, anyway." She pressed the center dome of the DHD and watched the Stargate activate. "Want to come with me?" she offered.

JJ eyed her nervously. "Where are we going?"

"Athos. Well – not the Athos you and I were familiar with when we were little. Since my parents are the head of the Rebellion and all that, we have to move around a lot. It's hard to keep our cover, to keep our people safe." Mika paused halfway to the Gate, eyes wide under her hood. "Wait – you _did_ contact me because you wanted to join the Rebellion – right?"

Her childhood friend grinned. "I certainly didn't look you up just 'cause I wanted to catch up. Seemed a little pointless." JJ motioned toward the Gate. "Ladies first."

Mika shoved his shoulder. "You're just afraid to see my parents again," she mocked. Over the years, they'd all learned to use humor. It kept things light – for a while – in the face of the darkness they were all fighting.

JJ grinned sheepishly. "Am I _that_ obvious?" he asked.

Laughing, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the Stargate. "Come on."

**-New Athos-**

"She'll be fine."

Teyla absently rubbed her hands up and down her arms, though she was not cold. "I know," she said. "But I cannot help but feel – concerned. That this person asked only for Mika, and for a meeting on a world with such a bad reputation. . ."

Ronon looked up from the map he'd been mulling over carefully. "She's fifteen," he said quietly. "As little as we like to admit it, she _is_ old enough to take care of herself."

"You are worried, too," Teyla said. She didn't turn around, but sensed Ronon's rueful smile.

"I am," he agreed.

She turned away from the door of the tent to join him by the table. "The things we have to do sometimes, for the Rebellion. . ." She trailed off.

"It's hard. But, in the end, it'll be worth it." Ronon rapped his fingers against the tabletop once. "I'm tempted to go check on her."

Teyla caught his arm. "We will give her a while longer," she said. "We have to trust her, and her decisions."

"I know you're right." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I just wonder if there may be just _one more thing_ we should have taught her, or told her, or made her do before we sent her out on her own."

She rested her head against her husband's arm. "She will be back soon. I am certain of that."

The tent flap suddenly slapped open, and a small figure burst inside. "She's back, she's back!" Alaka'i, Ronon and Teyla's eleven-year-old son, turned and ran back outside.

His parents rushed behind him. As they exited the tent, Teyla was relieved to see Mika strolling casually toward them, the hood of her cloak tossed back, her posture relaxed and vaguely triumphant. Walking beside and slightly behind her, a young man looked around nervously at his surroundings.

"Mika, Mika!" Kai ran to his big sister and threw his arms around her waist. "You're back, you're back!"

Michaela laughed, ruffling her little brother's hair. "What, did you expect me to stay out there all day? It was raining. Ugh." She pretended to shudder. "You know how much I hate the rain."

Kai ducked away from her hand. "What'd you learn?" he demanded. "Did you have to fight anyone?" Apparently his sparkling brown eyes hadn't spotted the boy next to her.

With a wave of her hand, Teyla dismissed the curious people who had gathered around. Disappointed sighs met her ears as they reluctantly departed. "I am assuming your mission was a success?" she asked.

Mika looked up to grin at them. "What do you think?" she asked. She tipped her head toward her companion.

Teyla glanced up at Ronon, who was looking at the boy curiously. She followed his gaze, noting the young man's hair, eyes, height, and facial features in one swift glance. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place a name with the face. "Welcome to New Athos," she said.

Mika nudged the boy with her shoulder. "C'mon," she growled. "Don't be shy." Without waiting for a response, she turned back to her parents. "Don't you recognize him? He's JJ – John Jared Sheppard." Her face glowed smugly.

"Well, you've grown up." Ronon stood rocked back on his heels, eyebrows raised. "Quite a bit, actually." He had the _protective father_ look on his face.

Teyla sighed inwardly. "JJ, it is wonderful to see you again." She shook hands with him, and he looked subtly relieved. "How are your parents?"

"Please, call me Jared." As he released her hand, his expression darkened. "Actually – that's _part_ of why I'm here." Jared glanced around swiftly, strongly reminding her of his father in military mode. "I don't suppose there's anywhere we can, uh – talk quietly?"

"Me too?" Kai, who'd hid behind his sister when he'd noticed Jared, suddenly popped up again. "Please?"

Mika took him by the shoulders and turned him. "Nah, this is for grownups only," she said.

"You're not a grownup!" Kai complained.

"Scoot, kid," Mika said.

"Go check the tuttleroot crops for me, please," Teyla said calmly. "I have been meaning to do it all day, but have not had the time. It would be a great help to me."

Kai's sulky expression brightened considerably. He cheerfully ran off to complete his chore. Teyla motioned for the others to follow, and they all ducked into her and Ronon's tent. "Please, have a seat," she motioned, "while I fix us all some tea."

Jared nervously sat down across from Ronon. Mika followed her mother through the rest of the tent to the kitchen area, where she tossed her cloak onto a chair. "What d'you think, Mom?"

Teyla handed her daughter the container with the teabags she made by hand. "I think you did a very good job."

Mika glowed. "Thanks, Mom. Do – do you think Dad thinks so, too?"

Quickly giving her daughter a one-armed hug, Teyla went back to her tea preparations. "I know he does."

"Good." Mika looked down at the ceramic holder she cradled in her hands, her long hair nearly hiding her face. "I want to do this a lot, Mom. I want to help. I-I want to go back home."

Teyla reached for the pot of pre-warmed water sitting on the back of the little stove. "Me too. And I know you want to help, and your father and I both appreciate that. But do not try to grow up too quickly, okay? You should not expect to go on any dangerous missions. We are not ready for that yet."

Mika tucked her hair behind her ear. "Wasn't this one dangerous?"

"Yes. But not as dangerous as some others would be. What I am saying is, do not be disappointed if you are not included in some of our raids." She stepped a little closer and lowered her voice. "You are old enough to understand, Mika. If something were to happen to your father, or me, or both of us, someone must continue our fight. And, more importantly, take care of your little brother. He idolizes you, Mika. He needs you."

"He needs you guys, too." Mika sighed. "Okay, okay. I hate it when you guilt-trip me into things."

Teyla smiled, glad for her daughter's moment of levity. "Parents have no scruples," she reminded.

"Knock, knock!" a voice called from outside. Moments later, a compactly built man ducked inside.

Mika hurried toward the front of the tent. "Marcus!"

Major Lorne grinned at her. "Hey Mika." He nodded to Ronon, who nodded back briefly. "So this is who the whole village is gossiping about," he said, blue eyes on Jared.

Teyla added another cup of tea to the tray and carried it out. "Major Lorne, meet John Jared Sheppard."

"Wow!" Lorne, cup halfway to his mouth, stared in amazement. "You grew up!"

Jared made a wry face. "Yes. It seems everyone is telling me that today."

"Sorry." Lorne swallowed a drink of tea, settling into a chair close by as Teyla sat next to Ronon. "Though I must say I'm glad to see you and your parents made it out of Atlantis."

"Actually. . ." Jared trailed off.

Next to Teyla, Ronon leaned forward to plant his elbows on his knees. "'Actually'?" he repeated.

Jared stared down at his hands, clenched into fists on his lap. "That assumption is – is not entirely accurate."

Teyla felt her body go rigid. Even though it had been twelve years since they'd had to abandon Atlantis, she still remembered everything about that day vividly. She'd been sure Colonel Sheppard and his family would have had plenty of time to evacuate. . . "Then what _is_ accurate?" she asked.

The young man's shoulders slumped. "The truth is, I didn't search for you guys to join the Rebellion _proper_, though that's well and good. I came to ask you to help me rescue my parents."

_-To Be Continued-_

**Bunnylass**: Wow, thank you so much! I'm very honored that you liked the beginning of this almost as much as you like _Empire_! I hadn't really done anything like this before, with everyone already in relationships and with children and things, except in a couple of oneshots. I decided to see what it would be like to make a whole fic out of it! I hope you continue to enjoy my fic, and thank you so much for the review!

**HeartyJessica**: Thank you! I'm very glad you liked the intro into my story. I had fun with the general cloak-and-dagger stuff, so I'm glad you enjoyed it, too. Thank you so much for the good luck wishes – sometimes I feel like I really need it! LOL Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**CanadianHalliwell**: Thanks! As little kids on Atlantis, Mika and JJ were playmates, so I thought it would be natural for them to remember each other fairly easily a few years later, even as young as they were when they were originally separated. Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Alexiel974**: Thank you! To be truthful – I'm not sure. LOL I just grab what ideas I get, and try to run with them as best I can. Though I am ashamed to admit it does kind of mess with my updating schedule – but I do try to keep things fairly well organized! I'm glad you like Mika and JJ – there's going to be a lot of them in this story, though there will be an equal amount of the characters we're familiar with. As for your question about McKay children – I promise it will be answered very soon! Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**TheWelcomeStranger**: Thank you! I'm glad you thought the prologue was nice. I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Thank you so much for the review!

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I'm sorry – I know I was very vague about New Atlantis, but I promise it will be explained in time – and a lot of it in the next chapter. Yes! I'm very glad you noticed Solen. I can definitely promise we'll be seeing him again! After all – he did think Mika looked familiar! I figured being a bartender would be the perfect occupation for him, especially after seeing where he seemed to spend most of his time in the episode _Trinity_. Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!


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